1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of mixing colors using optical modulators, for the purpose of determining a recipe for duplicating on a color receiving material a specified color in dyeing, printing or coloring processes on cloth, textile, plastics, resins or paper.
2. Description of Prior Art
Heretofore, a color mixing in the dyeing process, for instance, has been carried out by first analyzing the spectral distribution characteristics of a specified color sample using a spectrophotometer. On the basis of the results of the analysis, the mixing ratio of the respective dyes in the recipe is then determined, taking into consideration predetermined data concerning the particular characteristics of the dyes and the dyeing material to be used.
A method of the type just described is disadvantageous from an economic point of view in that the operation incorporating the characteristics of the dyeing material as parameters requires the assistance of a relatively large computer. Furthermore, the recipe so obtained is invariably of a primitive nature and must be tested repeatedly before a final satisfactory recipe is obtained. These operations are time-consuming as in a more conventional method which solely depends on senses and experiences of a skilled colorist. For these reasons, there have been few attempts to mechanize the color mixing operation.
Moreover, light scattering characteristics of a dye or a color-receiving material surface are known to significantly influence the color of the material as perceived by human eyes. As any modification of color recipe to complement such characteristics of a color receiving material is extremely difficult, color mixing recipes prepared by prior-art methods usually turn out to be incapable of exactly duplicating specified colors.